MetroPCS Communications was a winner within the telecommunications industry, rising 12 cents (1.2%) to $9.90 on light volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

MetroPCS Communications ( PCS) pushed the Telecommunications industry higher today making it today's featured telecommunications winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.4%. By the end of trading, MetroPCS Communications rose 12 cents (1.2%) to $9.90 on light volume. Throughout the day, 3.3 million shares of MetroPCS Communications exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 7.3 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $9.84-$10 after having opened the day at $9.89 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $9.78. Other companies within the Telecommunications industry that increased today were: Net Element International ( NETE), up 19.5%, Phazar Corporation ( ANTP), up 11.2%, DragonWave ( DRWI), up 10.9%, and Parametric Sound ( PAMT), up 10.5%.

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MetroPCS Communications, Inc., a wireless telecommunications carrier, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireless broadband mobile services in the United States. MetroPCS Communications has a market cap of $3.53 billion and is part of the technology sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 7.8, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 2.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are four analysts that rate MetroPCS Communications a buy, two analysts rate it a sell, and 12 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates MetroPCS Communications as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, increase in stock price during the past year, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income and attractive valuation levels. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.